Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center

Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center's nursing program hits you with a concerning pattern: graduates earn $42,238 in their first year but see incomes drop to $38,082 by year four—a 10% decline when most careers are climbing. At 40th percentile statewide, this program trails Pennsylvania's median for practical nursing by over $5,000 annually, and the gap widens considerably compared to top PA programs where graduates earn $55,000-$66,000. The modest $9,500 debt load is genuinely manageable, but low debt doesn't make up for below-average earnings that move in the wrong direction.

Context matters here: 86% of students receive Pell grants, suggesting this program serves students with limited options who may be juggling work and family obligations. The earnings decline could reflect graduates reducing hours over time or facing limited advancement opportunities in the rural Susquehanna County healthcare market. Pennsylvania offers 53 practical nursing programs, and many deliver significantly stronger outcomes even at community colleges like Bucks County, where graduates earn $54,000.

For families considering this program, the question is whether the convenience and low cost justify earnings that rank in the bottom half statewide and trend downward. If other Pennsylvania nursing programs are accessible—particularly those in the $54,000+ range—they represent substantially better investments with similar credential lengths.